Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days. The Executive Presence Mastery System may be your logical next step.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

Are you known as a leader who’s “easy to work with”… but somehow your voice still doesn’t carry the weight it should in strategic conversations?

Many high performers build their reputation on being collaborative, supportive, and easy to work with. But in executive environments, likability alone doesn’t signal leadership. If you’re constantly protecting harmony, softening your opinions, or avoiding tension in meetings, you may unintentionally be limiting how others perceive your strategic leadership potential.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

🚀Why high performers often avoid the very behaviors that build executive-level credibility

📈The hidden career cost of prioritizing harmony over strategic challenge in meetings

✅How respected leaders challenge ideas without damaging relationships or trust

🎧Press play to learn how to strengthen your leadership voice and start shaping the thinking in the room—not just supporting it.

If you’ve built your reputation as the reliable high performer…

But you’re realizing that being “easy to work with” might actually be limiting how people see your leadership…

Then the real question becomes:

How do you challenge thinking without damaging relationships?

How do you maintain likability…

While also bringing the kind of strategic clarity executives respect?

There’s a link in the first paragraph of these show notes where you can book a conversation.

On that call we’ll look at:

• Where you might be holding back in high-stakes conversations

• The leadership moments where your voice should carry more weight

• And how to build the balance between likability and strategic authority

Because the leaders who rise fastest aren’t the most agreeable people in the room. They’re the people who make the room think better.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days. The Executive Presence Mastery System may be your logical next step.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

Are you accidentally making yourself sound replaceable every time you give an update or even answering a question?

If you’re a high-performing introvert who delivers excellent work but still feels under-recognized, the problem may not be your competence — it’s how you’re describing your value. Many talented professionals unintentionally talk in terms of tasks instead of outcomes, which keeps them sounding operational instead of strategic. And in today’s workplace, perception drives promotion.

By this end of this fun episode you’ll know:

👑How to instantly shift from “task talk” to “impact language” so you sound more strategic in meetings

🪝Why framing your work around outcomes dramatically increases perceived value

🔥A simple 5-minute exercise that upgrades your executive presence before your next update

Press play to learn how to stop selling flowers and start positioning yourself as essential at the executive level.

Access to the Executive Presence Scorecard is here - locate your specific strengths and opportunities across your multiple communication functions.

Reference: Episode 215 Find your X Factor with Maz Farrelly

Speak Up was just recognized by the highly ranked Million Podcasts as #1 of the Top 60 Business Communication podcasts. Thanks for listening.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days. The Executive Presence Mastery System may be your logical next step.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

Have you been working hard a long time with great performance reviews and still not getting the opportunities you deserve?

Many high performers believe strong performance alone will open doors — yet promotions, partnerships, and big opportunities often go to those with strong relationship capital. If you’ve ever felt overlooked, unsure how to “network” without feeling fake, or hesitant to put yourself out there, this episode breaks down how to build authentic connections that actually accelerate your career.

By this end of this fun conversation with Joanne Fedeyko you’ll know:

🔑How to strategically build relationships without being transactional or pushy

🏆Practical ways to increase your visibility inside and outside your organization

🧠The powerful “Know, Like, Trust” formula and how to play the long game of career growth

Press play to learn how to build meaningful relationships that open doors — before you actually need them.

If you’ve always cringed at the word “networking”… if big rooms drain you… if self-promotion feels inauthentic… but you still want stronger influence, better opportunities, and a seat at higher-level tables — this is for you.

This is why I created the Executive Presence Scorecard.

It helps you identify exactly where you can leverage your natural strengths — depth, preparation, one-on-one connection — and where a few small strategic shifts could dramatically increase your visibility without exhausting you.

If that sounds like what you need, head to the 2nd paragraph in these show notes, click the first link to take the Executive Presence Scorecard.

About our guest:

Joanne Fedeyko’s mission—helping leaders and founders elevate their voice, presence, and impact on a global stage.

As VP of Mentorship at Startup Genome and Founder of Connection Silicon Valley, Joanne has spent years coaching founders and executives—especially women—to communicate with confidence, build powerful networks, and expand their influence across borders. She often speaks about how visibility and storytelling transform not only individual careers but entire ecosystems.

Her calm authority and experience working between Silicon Valley and emerging markets make her a compelling voice for your audience of thoughtful, ambitious professionals who want to “speak up” with clarity and credibility.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

The most dangerous place to be in 2026 isn’t entry-level. It’s mid-level.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days. The Executive Presence Mastery System may be your logical next step.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

If you’ve spent 15–20+ years building expertise, earning respect, and becoming the “go-to” person in your company — but promotions have stalled, AI is creeping into your function, and your visibility doesn’t match your capability — you’re not alone.

The professional danger zone in 2026 isn’t entry-level. It’s mid-level. Especially for high-performing introverts who rely on competence instead of positioning. This episode breaks down why hard work and loyalty are no longer growth strategies — and what actually moves you into executive territory.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

😱Why director-level professionals are the most exposed layer in the age of AI — and how to protect your earning potential

🧩The real reason promotions stall after 20+ years of experience (hint: it’s not competence)

💰How to translate operational or technical expertise into strategic authority so people trust your thinking at the executive level

Press play now to learn how to break the mid-level ceiling and reposition yourself for executive influence before comfort costs you your next promotion.

You may be hitting a communication and visibility ceiling. And that’s fixable.

Inside Executive Presence Mastery, we work on:

1. Translating operational depth into strategic authority
2. Speaking in meetings with executive-level clarity
3. Crafting a powerful professional narrative
4. Increasing visibility inside AND outside your company
5. Building positioning that makes you promotable — or poachable

If you’re ready to stop hoping and start positioning… Go to the top of these show notes.

Book a conversation. Let’s see if this is your moment.

Because the most dangerous thing you can do right now… Is stay comfortable at the ceiling.

1. McKinsey Global Institute (2023). The Economic Potential of Generative AI: The Next Productivity Frontier.
2. https://www.mckinsey.com
3. World Economic Forum (2023). The Future of Jobs Report 2023.
4. https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023
5. Granovetter, Mark (1973). The Strength of Weak Ties. American Journal of Sociology.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Warning... This may sting but it’s true.

It’s not your boss’s job to be interested. It’s your job to be interesting. Learn how today.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to explore the Executive Presence Mastery System to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

Are you unknowingly becoming forgettable every time you speak in a senior-level meeting?

If you’re a high-performing introvert who delivers exceptional work—but still isn’t getting pulled into stretch assignments or succession conversations—this episode explains why. At senior levels, competence is assumed. What separates influential leaders from invisible ones is not personality. It’s relevance. And most leaders are leading with process when they should be leading with stakes.

By the end of this short episode, you’ll know:

💰Instantly make your contributions more compelling in executive meetings.

🎯 Discover the subtle communication shift that transforms you from competent to strategic.

🧩How to frame your message so senior leaders lean in instead of tune out.

Press play to learn the 90-second shift that will make your voice matter at the executive level.

When you become the leader who consistently makes things more interesting… You stop chasing visibility.

Visibility starts chasing you.

Get access to the Executive Presence Scorecard by clicking the link in the 2nd paragraph of these show notes.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days. The Executive Presence Mastery System may be your logical next step.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

Are your presentations and pitches packed with data… yet no one, especially the most senior leaders, actually remembers what you said?

If you’re a high-performing professional giving updates, proposals, or leadership presentations, you’ve probably focused heavily on getting the facts right. But facts alone rarely inspire action. When your team isn’t shifting direction, when executives aren’t fully bought in, or when you’re passed over for promotion despite strong technical skills, the missing piece may not be your expertise — it’s how you deliver it.

By the end of this conversation with Carmen Sederino, you’ll know:

💰Why storytelling increases retention and influence — and how to use it even in a 10-minute business update

🪝A simple “X-Ray” framework to organize your message quickly (even when you don’t have time)

🎯Practical delivery techniques — including voice variation and breathing — to manage nerves and command the room

Press play now to learn how to turn your next presentation into a moment that inspires action, builds credibility, and accelerates your leadership impact.

If you’ve ever walked out of a presentation, an interview, or a board update thinking…

“I said all the right things… so why didn’t it land?”

And it’s bothering you because you know you were technically ready — but you weren’t perceived as inspiring, compelling, or executive enough…

That’s why I created the Executive Presence Scorecard — to give you clarity before the next big moment. Before the next board presentation. Before the next promotion opportunity.

In just a few minutes, you’ll see exactly how you’re currently showing up — and what might be limiting your influence at higher levels.

If that sounds helpful, go up to the 2nd paragraph of these show notes, click the first link. Let’s make sure the next time you step into the room, your presence matches your potential.

About our guest:

Carmen Sederino helps speakers, leaders, and executives transform high-stakes presentations into immersive, theatrical experiences that captivate, inspire, and influence. She teaches how to combine storytelling, stagecraft, and executive communication to deliver messages with clarity, confidence, and lasting impact.

Her Illuminated Story Method equips speakers to deliver keynotes, pitches, and talks that engage audiences and elevate personal brand authority.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to explore the Executive Presence Mastery System to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

“You’re not being overlooked. You’ve already been categorized.”

And once senior leaders categorize you, it becomes very difficult to change their perception. Today I share what you must do to fix that.

If you’re a high-performing leader who prepares thoroughly, delivers consistently, and stays in your lane during executive meetings, you may believe your competence will naturally lead to advancement. But at senior levels, promotion decisions aren’t driven by performance alone — they’re driven by perception. And silence in cross-functional discussions often signals.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

😅How executive leaders actually categorize talent and why that categorization determines your reputation

🏆The subtle meeting behaviors that unintentionally signal “reliable executor” instead of “enterprise thinker”

🔥Practical, out-of-your-lane questions and contribution strategies that immediately elevate how senior leaders perceive your altitude

Press play to learn how to shift your executive category from operational to strategic — and finally align your visibility with your true capability.

If you are a high performer whose value exceeds your visibility…

If you are targeting VP, Partner, or C-Suite roles…

If you are carrying outsized responsibility without matching influence…

The issue is not competence.

It’s categorization.

And categorization is driven by perception.

Inside the Executive Presence Mastery System, we train you to:

1. Signal enterprise-level thinking

1. Contribute insight, not just information
2. Navigate executive rooms with calm authority
3. Build cross-functional credibility
4. Reposition how decision-makers experience you

To set up time for us to chat about Executive Presence Mastery System, click the first link at the top of these show notes or swing by www.speakupwithlaura.com/speakup.

📚 Research & References Mentioned in This Episode

1️⃣ Executive Presence & Promotion Data

Sylvia Ann Hewlett – Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success

Center for Talent Innovation (now Coqual), 2014

Research finding: Executive presence accounts for 26% of what it takes to get promoted, and its importance increases at senior levels.

Learn more:

https://coqual.org/reports/executive-presence/

Book reference:

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/executive-presence-sylvia-ann-hewlett

2️⃣ Harvard Business Review – Executive Presence

Herminia Ibarra, Aneeta Rattan & Tiffany Johnston

“Executive Presence” – Harvard Business Review, Jan–Feb 2018

Explores how leadership potential and perception often outweigh pure performance in promotion decisions.

Article link:

https://hbr.org/2018/01/executive-presence

3️⃣ Performance vs. Perceived Leadership Potential

Rob Silzer & Allan H. Church

“Identifying and Assessing High-Potential Talent” – Harvard Business Review

Highlights how advancement decisions are based heavily on perceived future potential — not just past performance.

Article link:

https://hbr.org/2009/05/identifying-and-assessing-high-potential-talent

4️⃣ McKinsey – Enterprise Mindset & CEO Excellence

McKinsey & Company – CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest (2022)

Identifies “enterprise mindset” and cross-functional thinking as defining traits of top-performing CEOs.

Report overview:

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/ceo-excellence

Book reference:

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/CEO-Excellence/Carolyn-Dewhurst/9781982179678

5️⃣ Deloitte – Enterprise Leadership & Human Capital Trends

Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends Reports (2020–2023 Editions)

Research consistently shows that leaders who demonstrate enterprise-wide thinking, adaptability, and cross-functional fluency are more likely to be elevated during transformation and restructuring cycles.

Latest report archive:

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends.html

6️⃣ Proprietary Executive Presence Scorecard Data

Dr. Laura Camacho – Executive Presence Scorecard (Aggregate Data from Hundreds of High-Performing Leaders)

Lowest-scoring statement:

“I often contribute earned insights and useful recommendations even when the topic is not in my area of expertise.”

This pattern highlights a widespread executive signaling gap among high-performing professionals.

Let's talk about the Executive Presence Mastery System. Click the link in the top of these show notes or swing by www.speakupwithlaura.com/speakup to set a time.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Have you ever noticed that the smartest person in the room is seldom the one with the most influence?

If you work in tech, finance, engineering, data, or operations, you were likely rewarded early in your career for being accurate, responsive, and helpful. But as you move into senior leadership, those same behaviors may be quietly signaling execution—not authority.

This episode breaks down why technical excellence alone doesn’t translate to influence and how perceived value—not effort—determines who rises fastest.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

🏆Why speaking less but more strategically can instantly increase how competent and strategic you’re perceived

🎯 How over-availability and over-explaining undermine executive trust without you realizing it

🚀 The luxury-brand mindset shift that helps leaders command authority without performing confidence

If you’re ready to stop over-proving your value and start being trusted at a higher level, press play and learn how the most powerful leaders let their presence do the work.

If this episode made you slightly uncomfortable…

If you recognized yourself in the rushing…

The over-availability…

The instinct to answer everything immediately…

And you’re realizing that what got you here… won’t get you to the next level. Then this is your moment.

Because luxury thinking isn’t about branding or polish. It’s about signaling.

If that’s the shift you’re ready to make, go to the second paragraph of these show notes, click the first link to access the Executive Presence Scorecard.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Click here if: You’re a senior leader who’s finally ready to level up, speak up, get recognized and nail that executive promotion / visibility…and you want to work with Laura Camacho to build your Executive Presence in the next 90-120 days.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

Have you ever walked out of a high-stakes meeting knowing you had more to say—but couldn’t quite get it across?

If you’re a high performer who’s delivered results but still feels intimidated in senior-level conversations, this episode speaks directly to you. Whether English is your second language, you’re an introvert, or you feel pressure to “act like a leader,” this conversation reframes executive presence as something far more human—and far more effective.

By the end of today’s conversation with Serin Silva you’ll know:

🔎How slowing down and reading the room instantly improves your influence and clarity

🪝Why intuition is a hidden leadership skill that can dramatically impact performance and results

🔥How to communicate with authority and authenticity without adopting a fake leadership persona

Press play to learn how embracing who you truly are can transform the way you lead, communicate, and show up when it matters most.

If you find yourself walking into high-stakes meetings knowing you have the expertise, but still feeling like you’re only showing 80% of your leadership presence…and it’s frustrating because you’ve worked too hard to still feel invisible, hesitant, or second-guessing how you come across — especially under pressure — that’s exactly why I created the EP Scorecard.

And if you want a personal self assessment to shortcut your path to confident, authentic executive presence — without forcing yourself into a mold that doesn’t fit.

👉 Go to the 2nd paragraph of these show notes, click the first link you see, and get instant access to the Executive Presence Scorecard.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

About our guest:

Serin Silva blends two decades of leadership experience, helping global brands like Williams-Sonoma and Hearst break through, with a rare gift for igniting clarity and true visibility in leaders who are ready for more. Experience at MSNBC

Serin stands out for her bold, practical view on executive presence. She knows what it takes to move from feeling unseen or sidelined to standing at your full height, sharing your message with conviction, and making every moment in the spotlight count, even for those who don’t naturally seek it.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to explore the Executive Presence Mastery System to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

Have you made it to senior leadership… but noticing the feedback has gotten quieter instead of clearer?

At higher levels, performance isn’t enough — and silence isn’t safety. Many Senior Directors and VP-track leaders assume that smooth meetings and polite feedback mean alignment.

But in reality, psychological distance increases as you rise. Honest friction disappears. And without realizing it, you can become categorized as “dependable” instead of strategic — shaping execution instead of shaping direction.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

🪝Why honest feedback declines at senior levels — and what that silence really signals

🏆 How being labeled “operationally excellent” can quietly limit your advancement

🎯 Practical ways to recalibrate your executive presence so your influence expands beyond the room

Press play now to uncover how you’re being perceived at senior levels — and learn how to strategically reshape your presence before silence turns into a career plateau.

Executive presence mastery is not about charisma. That’s only part of it. It’s about managing how power flows toward you.

This is the stage where presence determines trajectory.

If you’re ready to understand how you’re currently being categorized — and how to intentionally reshape that — book a private strategy conversation using the link at the top of these show notes or head to www.speakupwithlaura.com/speakup.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.